The SMARTT and Cognos Center Goes Blended

The SABES PD Center for Using SMARTT and Cognos is responsible for keeping Massachusetts adult education staff up to speed with the SMARTT and Cognos database systems. Since most data management staff work via computer, these trainings are most often offered online; however, they are sometimes offered face-to-face as well.

Massachusetts ABE program staff who are responsible for aspects of data management are introduced to SMARTT in the SMARTT New User class. Correspondingly, those who access reporting data in Cognos get started with the Introduction to Cognos and then Intermediate Cognos. More advanced areas of data management are covered in tutorials and through the regularly scheduled SMARTT/Cognos updates, which primarily take place as live online meetings. Supplementing both of these online training modalities is the ongoing technical assistance provided online (visit smartthelp.zendesk.com) and by email and phone.

This winter we’re pleased to offer a blended learning option: Excel for SMARTT/Cognos in the WIOA Era, which begins online and concludes with a four-hour face-to-face training. This training introduces you to key Excel features that can be used to analyze the WIOA-related data found in the SMARTT and Cognos databases. You’ll learn how to locate and export WIOA-relevant data from SMARTT and Cognos into Excel; use formulas, functions, and tables to extrapolate the data you need; and then use tools such as fills, sorting, filtering, conditional formatting, text-to-columns, charting, and printing to format and display the data. The first training starts January 15 (in Holyoke); a second begins March 26 (in Worcester).

Check the SABES calendar for all of these offerings by choosing "SMARTT and Cognos" in the PD Center dropdown and clicking the "Search" button.